Jail inmate in intensive care, family wants to know what happened

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - A family is searching for answers after a loved one was rushed from the Harris County Jail to the hospital. Donald Ray Mallett, 33, is in Ben Taub Hospital. His relatives are asking what happened that caused him to be the intensive care unit when hours earlier they say he appeared perfectly healthy in the jail.

”It just doesn’t make sense,” says Dominique Blake, Mallett’s sister. He was rushed to the jail in serious but stable condition to hospital but his health is continuing to decline and he's now listed in critical condition.

“The doctor contacted my parents to get the OK for the emergency surgery he had last night," explains Blake. "It was an emergency surgery for the internal bleeding.”

“We had a family member just visit him the day before this and my son was in good health,” adds Donnell Blake.

Mallett was in jail on possession of methamphetamine charges. Relatives say he was sentenced to 90 days in mandatory drug rehabilitation but was in jail for a month awaiting availability at a facility.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said on Thursday that Mallett got into a fairly minor fight with another inmate and both were taken to the hospital.

”He received five units of blood last night and they're telling us every three hours they're giving him blood because he's losing blood constantly,” adds Blake.

Mallett's loved ones say hospital officials are telling them his injuries are not consistent with a fist fight.

“He has internal bleeding from the stomach and bleeding out the nose and the mouth,” says Donnell Blake, Mallett’s father.

“We want to know what caused this. If he was in an altercation, why doesn't he have any bruises?,” asks Mallett’s sister.

“I'm real concerned," adds Donnell. "My son is in bad shape. His liver and his kidneys are shutting down.”

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office confirms that doctors do not believe Mallett's injuries were caused by the fight and the spokesperson says physicians are searching to see what may be in Mallett’s system that can cause such symptoms.